Gaelic lessons at town centre library were music to the ears

Gaelic lessons at Johnstone Town Hall library were music to the ears

JOHNSTONE kids hit all the right notes as they were given a taste of traditional music and song.

Talented artists from Fèis Phaislig (Paisley Festival) treated the youngsters to a morning of Gaelic tunes at Johnstone Library.

The event was just one stop in the group’s Ceilidh Trail tour, which saw a host of musicians go on the road across the country to give children a glimpse into Scotland’s rich cultural history.

Grant McFarlane, co-ordinator for Fèis Phaislig, believes it is important to give kids the chance to experience Gaelic.

He told The Gazette: “It is an important part of our culture and the music and the language are so closely connected.

“The children just love the chance to hear the music and experience the instruments.

“It is such a fun atmosphere and it lets the language flourish and grow.”

The trail was pioneered by Fèis Rois, in Ross-shire, which gave young musicians and singers, aged 16 to 25, the opportunity to take part in a professional summer tour with support from a team of musicians and specialist tutors.

As well as Johnstone, the tour also stopped off at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Renfrew Library and came to a close on Sunday at the Wynd Centre, Paisley.

Children and parents who turned up at the Johnstone event were treated to a wide range of music as the artists showcased everything from bagpipes to banjos.

Grant continued: “The children sang a couple of songs with our artists and then were given the chance to hear the instruments playing.

“They got the chance to learn lots of Gaelic and many of the mums and dads said it was the first time they had experienced anything like it.

“It all went really well and it was the first time some of our artists had the chance to work with children aged around three to seven years old.

“It was a great thing for the children to experience and to be introduced to.”

Fèis Phaislig was established in 2014 and is funded by the likes of Fèisean nan Gàidheal, Creative Scotland and Renfrewshire Council.

Grant added: “We would like to thank Renfrewshire Council for funding us and making the tour possible.”

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